


Courting Royalty

by battle_goats



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-04
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-28 05:58:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10075349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/battle_goats/pseuds/battle_goats
Summary: They both knew this day was coming.  The day Prince Asahi would have to marry.  Noya had long since accepted this fact, but it didn't make it any easier.





	

If there was one thing Noya, Captain Yuu Nishinoya of the Royal Guard, personal guard to His Highness, Prince Asahi, had to be happy about with this whole arranged marriage nonsense, it was that Prince Ryuunosuke was just as fine a specimen of man as Prince Asahi was. He was incredibly fit, clearly more of a warrior than even Prince Asahi. His shaved short hair didn't detract from his appearance either.

Seeing the two princes side by side, they were striking. They were to be married. In part to bring their two kingdoms together, but to also it was a political move on the part of Queen Saeko. Queen Saeko had taken recently taken her own consort in Princess Alisa. It would only be a matter of time until they adopted an heir to the throne. Marrying Prince Ryuunosuke off as soon as possible reduced the potential mess of line succession.

They weren't married yet. It would be another month or so until then. But they were expected to get to know each other while Prince Ryuunosuke learned the basics of the kingdom's culture and history. How could he expect to be the Prince Consort to a kingdom he knew nothing about, after all. Noya could already tell that he wasn't much of an academic. By the angle of his grin, and the callouses on his hands, Prince Ryuunosuke was an active outdoorsman at heart.

Noya had a feeling they were going to get along great.

 

The two princes shared a picnic in one of the castle's smaller courtyard. Asahi had insisted on something smaller, less grandiose for today. It was Prince Ryuunosuke's birthday, and he'd wanted to do something nice for the younger royal.

Noya stood a little ways away, Prince Ryuunosuke's personal guard, a Captain Chikara Ennoshita stood by him, to afford their princes some privacy.

“I've heard a rumor,” Captain Ennoshita began. Noya looked up at him.

“What sort of rumor?” Noya asked.

“About your involvement with Prince Asahi.”

Noya went still. It wasn't much of a secret. The servants talked, and he knew that he'd slipped to and from the Prince's chambers at odd hours. No one said anything, and since it was the prince, there really wasn't anything to be done. At the very least, it meant that Prince Asahi was hardly ever unguarded. But their involvement could jeopardize the alliance between the two kingdoms. Noya hadn't visited Prince Asahi's bed chamber since the night before Prince Ryuunosuke arrived.

“Ah, well,” Noya began. He didn't know what he could possibly say.

“It was just a rumor, nothing more. Besides, I don't think Prince Ryuunosuke would mind terribly.”

Captain Ennoshita's words were confusing, but Noya didn't have time to think on it because they were being called over.

 

Prince Ryuunosuke has been in the castle for two months, and the wedding was fast approaching. Noya wasn't ready for it. Getting all of the guards whipped into shape for such a high profile event was the most stressful thing he'd experienced. There could be no mistakes. Shift changes were polished, not a single entrance was left unattended.

Noya himself would be in attendance of the ceremony, but so would every noble in the kingdom, along with many from Prince Ryuunosuke's homeland. So many people would be coming into the castle. Too many people.

The gate logs were revamped, and Noya was forced to dismiss a gate guard for taking a bribe in the form of smoked meat. He wanted to rip his hair out. All in the mean time, he still had to guard Prince Asahi. His only respite being that Captain Ennoshita was almost always there to watch their backs.

Noya wasn't ready for this. He didn't even want to think about the mess that would be Prince Asahi's eventual coronation. With the king looking so hale and hearty, that was unlikely to be soon, but still. He wasn't ready for all of this change.

 

Noya walked passed the wing Prince Asahi's chambers were located in and resisted the urge to walk down the corridor. It wasn't his place anymore. He paced down the corridor leading to the kitchens. He passed a doorway and a shadow moved from it.

“Who's there? Show yourself!” he ordered. The shadows stepped into the light of a wall sconce.

“I'm sorry, I was looking for the kitchens.”

It was Prince Ryuunosuke. Noya quickly bowed.

“Your Highness, forgive me.”

“No, no, don't do that. It's fine, you couldn't tell it was me.”

Noya stands awkwardly for a moment. This is the first time he's been around the Prince since his arrival. He doesn't know what to do without the enforced protocol of having Prince Asahi with him.

“Oh, ah, you were looking for the kitchens? If you'll follow me, I can lead you there,” he said.

“Thank you, Captain,” the prince said. They walked together in silence. Noya was sure it was awkward, but he could feel Prince Ryuunosuke's eyes darting over to him frequently.

They reached the kitchens in short order, but now it was late enough that none of the cooks were actually awake.

“I just wanted some tea and toast,” the prince said. Noya pushed open the door and they stepped inside. He ducked into the larder to find some bread, butter, and tea.

When he came back out, the prince had stoked the fire in the hearth back to life. Noya filled a kettle with water and hooked it over the fire to heat. The prince dragged a pair of stools and a low table closer to the hearth and sat down. Noya hesitated, he was unsure if he was welcome or not to the Prince's late night snack.

“Sit, Captain. Some company would be nice,” Prince Ryuunosuke said.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Please, call me Ryuu. I guess, formality is something we won't need in private settings,” he said. For a second, Noya was sure he was using an innuendo, but that couldn't be right.

“I suppose so,” he said slowly. The kettle whistled and Noya quickly set about pulling it from the flames and setting it down to steep the tea leaves. Next up, he settled some bread slices into their little toasting grates and leaned them towards the fire.

“Captain, may I ask your opinion of Prince Asahi? Your honest opinion?”

Noya hesitated. The prince wanted an honest opinion, but, his opinion of Prince Asahi was nothing but good.

“I – well, Prince Asahi is, he's a good man. One of the best I've known in my life. We grew up together, even with the difference of status, he never treated me as if I'm below him. I know he will make a fair king, even if he insists he'll be the worst in our history.”

Noya couldn't fight the small smile that worked its way onto his lips as he buttered their toast. He blinked and looked up at Prince Ryuu. He was giving Noya an odd look that he couldn't read. Prince Ryuu didn't ask any more questions, they just sat in silence, and ate toast and drank tea.

Afterwards, Noya walked the prince backed to his bed chambers before returning to the guard tower to check on how the shift changes were running.

 

The princes rode ahead of Noya and Captain Ennoshita. Their horses trotted as close together as possible while the two chatted in low tones. They seemed to have grown closer in the last week. The evening before, they'd held hands under the table during a boring budget meeting. They both thought Noya hadn't noticed. But he had. And he'd felt a pain in his chest that was still new, but it happened more and more when he saw them both. Noya was avoiding going to see the Royal Healer about it. It would pass with time. Maybe.

Noya had ended up sharing a light night snack with Prince Ryuu several more times since the first, and each time, the Prince asked him one or two questions. Noya always answered, but he never could bring himself to ask why the prince wanted to know. It felt like Prince Ryuu was getting to know him, but Noya couldn't fathom why.

Captain Ennoshita hummed. The noise drew Noya's attention.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Oh, nothing.”

Ennoshita was smiling and giving Noya a look he'd seen on Prince Ryuu's face several times in the last couple of weeks. The wedding was only a week away and the guards had been prepped and polished as much as he could humanly do. If anything went wrong, he'd personally behead anyone who placed his princes in danger.

The four of them came to a stream and waited for their horses to drink. Prince Asahi approached Noya and reached over to touch him on the elbow.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“I would like to speak with you later,” Prince Asahi said. Noya nodded. They'd spend almost no time together in the last few months, and it hurt. They both knew this day would eventually come. Prince Asahi had once said he'd marry Noya. But their statuses were too far apart. There was no way anyone would allow it. He'd even offered to make Noya a Lord, so that he would have proper status, but only the king could grant titles. And the prince had to be married before he was crowned. It was the law. They'd put themselves in a fine mess.

 

They returned to the castle and after dinner, Noya and Prince Asahi retired to the prince's study for privacy.

“You wished to speak with me?” Noya asked. Prince Asahi made an aborted movement, as if to reach out and touch Noya. But Noya's formality stayed his hand. Noya knew it was petty, to maintain distance when Prince Asahi so clearly wanted to step closer.

“Noya. Please, I don't want things to change between us,” Prince Asahi said.

“Things have already changed. You're getting married in a week, and you clearly care for Prince Ryuunosuke already,” Noya said. “There's no going back. We can't do this anymore. I love you, Asahi. I always will, but this is not something I will do for you. I won't be party to ruining what you are building with him. We knew this day would come. I have accepted it, it's time you did as well.”

He knew he'd hurt Prince Asahi. He'd always been an open book, especially to Noya, who'd known the prince for his whole life. The prince took another step closer, but Noya left the study and stormed down the corridor as he fought back tears.

He didn't see Prince Ryuu peek around the corner before striding into the study.

 

The day had come. There was fanfare and partying throughout the capitol city. A fair was being held in the main market to mark the occasion. The much loved Prince Asahi was getting married, and had looked glad for it to be happening. Though he'd only looked it.

As far as anyone knew, he was excited, ready to marry Prince Ryuunosuke. But anyone who knew him at all, that while he wasn't dreading the day, he wasn't overly enthusiastic about it. Noya could see it. He could see it in the set of the man's shoulders as he was dressed in clothes tailored by the finest seamstress in the kingdom.

Noya had already changed into his new uniform, commissioned especially for the occasion. If he did say so, he looked rather handsome in it. But Noya knew that if not for his status as Captain of the Royal Guard, he wouldn't even be permitted into the Great Hall where the wedding ceremony was to take place.

“How do I look?” Prince Asahi asked. The trousers fitted his strong legs beautifully, and his shoulders were broad and filled out the tunic perfectly. The gold trimmings warmed the deep brown of his eyes. His hair was combed and half pulled into a bun at the back of his head. His crown sat atop his head and glistened in the light.

“Like a king-to-be,” Noya answered. Asahi smiled, though it looked a little sad. There was a knock at the door, and one of the Queen's Ladies in Waiting looked inside.

“We are ready for you, Your Highness,” she said. The door closed and Asahi sighed.

“Shall we?” Noya asked. He crossed to the door and pulled it open. Asahi took a deep breath and nodded.

 

Noya waited in the antechamber with Prince Asahi. He and Prince Ryuu would walk up to the altar where they would take part in the wedding ceremony together. Once the princes stood together, Noya was slip up to the altar and stand as both guard and witness.

Prince Asahi stepped through the door, and opposite them, he caught a glimpse of Prince Ryuu. Noya quickly slipped out behind his prince and hurried up to the altar where the priest stood to bless the union. Captain Ennoshita was serving in the same capacity for Prince Ryuu.

The princes came to the altar, hand in hand, and the ceremony commenced. The priest spoke for several minutes, and Noya blanked out through most of it. His eyes roamed the hall for suspicious movement. So far, so good. The king and queen sat in the front row, they own hands clasped together as they watched their son get married.

The priest now requested the princes to speak their vows. Prince Asahi would go first, as he was older and Crown Prince to the kingdom they stood in. Noya only listened with half an ear until Asahi unexpectedly addressed the King in his vows. Noya glanced over to the man in question who rose from his seat and approached Noya. He was completely lost at this point. This didn't happen during the rehearsals the day before.

“Captain Yuu Nishinoya, as your King, do you so accept the title of Duke, as befitting you for your lifelong service to your King and Kingdom?”

Noya didn't know what to say. He certainly couldn't turn down the opportunity to be a titled Lord. But the request was sudden and oddly timed.

“I-I do so accept,” he stuttered. Noya belatedly kneeled before his King and waited for him to speak the final word.

“Then, I so name you, Duke Yuu Nishinoya, and henceforth, you and your line shall swear fealty to this kingdom.”

“We do so swear.”

“Rise, and answer your Prince.”

Noya stood and looked at Prince Asahi, who had stepped away from the altar. He took Noya's hands and held them gently.

“Noya, I have loved you for what feels like my whole life, and I know I will love you for the very rest of it. Prince Ryuu has come to love you as well. Would you do us the honor of taking us both as your husbands?”

Noya was stunned. In the middle of a royal ceremony, and not only was he now a Lord of the land, but now being proposed to. His vision was blacking out in the edges and he knew he was about to faint. He'd stopped breathing. Noya took a long deep breath and held it for a moment before letting it out again.

He glanced at Prince Ryuu who was looking so hopeful. And he understood. All those late nights in the kitchen. The Prince had essentially been courting him, in his own odd way. He couldn't believe it.

The King cleared his throat. Noya realized he hadn't answered the question yet.

“Yes. Yes, I will,” he said clearly. Asahi smiled and dragged him towards the altar.

“Lieutenant Hinata, stand in place as witness,” Asahi said. The guard standing behind and to the left of the altar jumped up to obey. His face was as red as his hair and he was barely taller than Noya despite being less than a year younger.

Noya joined the princes on the altar, and Asahi carried on with his vows. Prince Ryuu went next, and then they looked to him. He realized he had no idea what to say. He had hardly expected this when he woke up in the morning.

“I – I have loved Prince Asahi for a long time, and have known him even longer. He is possibly, the best partner one could ask for. He is a good man, and I know will cherish us for all of our time together. I am certain that I will come to love Prince Ryuu as much as I love Prince Asahi, and I look forward to the rest of our lives together.”

Short and sweet, had always been Noya's motto when it came to public speaking. Hopefully this would suffice. The priest revealed a set of three wedding bands. Cast in gold and each set with a single jewel. Asahi slid one ring onto Noya, and then onto Ryuu's finger, and they all locked hands as the priest spoke the final words. They were finally prompted to seal their vows with a kiss. Asahi kissed Noya first, then Ryuu, and then Ryuu tipped Noya's chin up for a short kiss.

The ceremony concluded with the three being introduced to the court in attendance. Noya was smiling widely. This was not what he had expected of the day, but he wouldn't give up this chance for happiness for anything. After all, it wasn't every day that one got to marry not one, but two handsome princes.

 


End file.
